


A Call for Hope

by GoingKnowhere



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Apocalypse, Blood, M/M, Near Death, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 14:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16683343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoingKnowhere/pseuds/GoingKnowhere
Summary: In a time absent of hope, a chime of relief echoes through the dark.





	A Call for Hope

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thevalesofanduin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thevalesofanduin/gifts).



> Wow I completely forgot about this fic...
> 
> This was made for @thevalesofanduin's Apocalypse AU Exchange in which we signed up to write apocalypse fics and she would make a moodboard inspired by it. 
> 
> It’s far shorter than what I expected to be. Seriously I expected this to be super long and it ended up being a short little thing that glimpses into the pharmaceutical disaster that rocked the world. 
> 
> Oh, right, maybe I should explain a little? 
> 
> For the challenge we were to figure out a fic to write using one of the predetermined apocalypse settings and some prompts. I decided to take on the ship of McKirk and pair it with the pharmaceutical disaster setting with the prompts of “I guess this is a lesson in not trusting people, right?”, “ We can’t keep doing this.”, and “When in doubt curl into the fetal position and give up on life.”.
> 
> So yeah this thing is rather angsty

##  **_A Call for Hope_ **

 

**_“I guess this is a lesson in not trusting people, righ -?”_ **

 

Leonard’s heart clenched when Jim broke off into another coughing fit.

 

He didn’t need to look to know that when Jim lowered his arm it was speckled with droplets of blood.

 

> _“The fifth symptom comes in the way of coughing,” Dr. Stellar said, her blonde curls glossy and perfect on the TV screen. Lively. A stark difference from what she was reporting on. “Subtle at first, the fits will soon increase. So much so the afflicted will find themselves overcome with the urge to cough several times a day for upwards of a few minutes at a time. Eventually, the afflicted will find blood present during these coughing fits.”_

 

The blood started to appear two days ago.

 

“No, Jim,” Leonard said, trying to keep his voice strong. “We’ll be fine.”

 

This doctor - Dr. Greenwood - had found a cure. He was supposed to have a cure. That was what they had heard whispers about. That was what Leonard and Jim had heard after two weeks of research.

 

That was what they heard three weeks after realizing that Jim had consumed some of the tainted prescriptions.

 

Leonard looked over then, shoving aside the fear that arose at the sight of Jim’s pallor, a shade so far from the sun-kissed glow he had embodied.

 

So far from the  _healthy_ glow he had embodied.

 

He was running out of time.

 

“Jim,” he said, chest tight with shallow breaths. “It’s gonna be fine. It’s gonna be fine. I -”

 

“Bones, are you telling me that, us that, or you that?”

 

Leonard’s mouth snapped shut as Jim’s interjection splashing over him like a bucket of ice water.

 

“ ** _We can’t keep doing this_** , Bones,” Jim said, taking advantage of Leonard’s silence. “It’s -,” he started to speak, but when another coughing fit happened Leonard hastily reached out to steady him. By the time it had subsided, Leonard had moved the two of them to lean up against the wall, cradling him close. Jim sagged into the embrace with a shuddering breath. “See, this is what I mean. Time is almost up for me and we’re wasting it. We’re wasting it in trying to find a cure for this thing when no one has found anything yet,” he finished softly, dropping his head to rest in the juncture of Leonard’s neck.

 

Leonard swallowed roughly, squeezing his eyes shut as his eyes began to burn with impending tears. “It’s only been a few weeks since this all broke out, Jim. Stuff like this takes a bit of time to figure out and -”

 

“And I doubt that I will live long enough to see it happen and, you know,  ** _when in doubt curl into the fetal position and give up on life_** ,” Jim interrupted softly. “So let’s just make the most of what we have left together.”

 

A quietness ensued after that, as reality tightened it’s rope around the neck of their hope.

 

His life - Jim’s life - their lives had been filled with losses. Losses of people, hopes, and dreams.

 

Jim had become his everything; his sun and moon; the central hub of his life; the lynchpin holding him together.

 

He didn’t know what he would do if he lost Jim.

 

Leonard sniffed as grief crashed over him once more, the tears finally falling.

 

Please, help us.

 

“-ones? Bones?”

 

The sound of Jim’s voice had Leonard making a noise of acknowledgment.

 

“Bones, your phone is vibrating.”

 

Sniffing again, Leonard pulled the device from his pocket just in time to see he missed the call. Though, when he saw who had been trying to reach him, he froze.

 

_Geoff._

 

With a trembling hand, Leonard hastily called him back, holding him tighter as he waited for the other doctor to pick up the call. When it finally connected, he wasted no formalities. “Please tell me you have good news.”

 

_“The lead was a bust then? Fuck, I had a feeling that would happen.”_

 

“Geoff, please.”

 

_“Right, Len, I think I may have found something to help”_

 

_~ ♥_

**Author's Note:**

> you can find links to my tumblr in other fics I posted here and in my profile


End file.
